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The Windward Cup Dynasty #1
Line of the Ball
He was paid to break Julian Rosemont's heart. He wasn't supposed to want to keep it.
Mason Caldwell has ninety days before the bank takes the only home he's ever had. So when a stranger in a suit worth more than Mason's truck offers him a fortune to play a sport he's never touched, for a team he's never heard of, Mason doesn't ask questions.
He should have asked questions.
Julian Rosemont is everything Mason isn't: old money, unbeaten, born into a polo dynasty with a trophy case older than most countries. He's also Mason's assignment. Get close. Get inside his head. Win.
Nobody tells Mason why it has to be Julian specifically. Nobody tells Julian there's a reason at all.
What starts as a job turns into something neither of them planned for: stolen nights in hotel rooms that don't officially exist, a rivalry that burns hotter every time their horses collide, and a captain who's spent his whole life performing perfection finally letting someone see him crack. Mason was supposed to stay untouchable. Julian was supposed to stay unknowable. Somewhere in the space between chukkers and secrets, they both stopped following the rules.
But the deal that saved Mason's ranch has strings attached that go back further than either of them knows, and when the truth finally surfaces, it won't just end the season.
It might end them.
Perfect for readers who love:
Secretly-hired-to-target-him romance
Fish-out-of-water meets old-money dynasty
Enemies-to-lovers with a slow, brutal burn
A morally gray puppet master with his own tragic wreckage
Found family in a locker room full of people hiding the same thing
Mason came to Windward Fields to save a ranch. He didn't come here to fall in love with the one man he was hired to destroy. Too late.
Line of the Ball is Book One of the Windward Cup Dynasty, an M/M and F/F sports romance trilogy. Queer love, every genre, always a happy ending — but you'll have to earn this one.
Mason Caldwell has ninety days before the bank takes the only home he's ever had. So when a stranger in a suit worth more than Mason's truck offers him a fortune to play a sport he's never touched, for a team he's never heard of, Mason doesn't ask questions.
He should have asked questions.
Julian Rosemont is everything Mason isn't: old money, unbeaten, born into a polo dynasty with a trophy case older than most countries. He's also Mason's assignment. Get close. Get inside his head. Win.
Nobody tells Mason why it has to be Julian specifically. Nobody tells Julian there's a reason at all.
What starts as a job turns into something neither of them planned for: stolen nights in hotel rooms that don't officially exist, a rivalry that burns hotter every time their horses collide, and a captain who's spent his whole life performing perfection finally letting someone see him crack. Mason was supposed to stay untouchable. Julian was supposed to stay unknowable. Somewhere in the space between chukkers and secrets, they both stopped following the rules.
But the deal that saved Mason's ranch has strings attached that go back further than either of them knows, and when the truth finally surfaces, it won't just end the season.
It might end them.
Perfect for readers who love:
Secretly-hired-to-target-him romance
Fish-out-of-water meets old-money dynasty
Enemies-to-lovers with a slow, brutal burn
A morally gray puppet master with his own tragic wreckage
Found family in a locker room full of people hiding the same thing
Mason came to Windward Fields to save a ranch. He didn't come here to fall in love with the one man he was hired to destroy. Too late.
Line of the Ball is Book One of the Windward Cup Dynasty, an M/M and F/F sports romance trilogy. Queer love, every genre, always a happy ending — but you'll have to earn this one.
- GenresM M RomanceRomance
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2026
About the author
Elias Keane
21 books44 followersI write queer fiction across genres—gaslamp gothic, contemporary, thriller, crime—held together by one constant: love that survives the world around it.
The settings change. The longing, the family you choose, the cost of finally being seen—those stay.
My work tends to watch from the margins. The character in the corner who notices everything. The quiet ache underneath the plot. Whatever the genre, I'm chasing the same feeling: two men finding their way to each other, and earning the ending.
I write under a pen name, which suits work I'd rather let speak for itself. Midlands-born, now writing from Oregon, usually with too much tea and a half-finished next book open.
The world changes. The love doesn't.
If that sounds like something you'd read, you're already the reader I'm writing for.
Start with Still Water if you want the literary crime entry point. Start with The Hollow Clock if you want the strangest, most ambitious one. Start with In the Serpent's Shadow if you want the political thriller. Start with The Bear Hunt if you want the love story.
https://linktr.ee/eliaskeanebooks
The settings change. The longing, the family you choose, the cost of finally being seen—those stay.
My work tends to watch from the margins. The character in the corner who notices everything. The quiet ache underneath the plot. Whatever the genre, I'm chasing the same feeling: two men finding their way to each other, and earning the ending.
I write under a pen name, which suits work I'd rather let speak for itself. Midlands-born, now writing from Oregon, usually with too much tea and a half-finished next book open.
The world changes. The love doesn't.
If that sounds like something you'd read, you're already the reader I'm writing for.
Start with Still Water if you want the literary crime entry point. Start with The Hollow Clock if you want the strangest, most ambitious one. Start with In the Serpent's Shadow if you want the political thriller. Start with The Bear Hunt if you want the love story.
https://linktr.ee/eliaskeanebooks
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 12, 2026
Since I purchased my first Kindle in 2012, I have read more than 3,000 books, mostly in M/M and written over 2,000 reviews. I stopped writing reviews in 2023 because after 60 years of writing professionally in various journalism genres, I was simply tired of putting together words when my 4 or 5 star ratings seemed to be enough.
I have broken my drought very rarely since then and only for series during which an author has time to develop, nurture and sometimes even exploit unusual genres, plot twists and most especially characters. In this series, newbie author Elias Keane lures you in with perhaps the best covers ever in a series (same two men, same side of the cover. dressed slightly differently to reflect the theme of each plot.
In the case of this series, however, it's the characters (Julian on the left, Mason on the right) who carry us through surrounded by a dozen others who are central to their lives and the plots. Therefore I am simply posting this review in each of the first three books (he promises a fourth). If you get the first one he might send you a prequel of sorts about Mason--if so, read it first or after reading "Line of the Ball."
This series is about polo. If you don't know anything about it, you can learn by carefully reading it to understand not only the way it's played but the deeply social restrictions that exist in a sport almost always restricted to the wealthy, old money especially. This one takes place in Texas but could have been identical in all respects (except for the weather) on the East or West coasts. It features developing and established gay, lesbian and hetero couplings, somewhat restrained in the first book, much more developed and detailed in the second and exceptionally explosive in the third.
That's all I'm going to say. Except--get this series...you will shake your head at the incongruities and sometimes inconsistencies but you will never forget those two men on the covers or their fellow protagonists in a series which is simply unique and over the top.
I have broken my drought very rarely since then and only for series during which an author has time to develop, nurture and sometimes even exploit unusual genres, plot twists and most especially characters. In this series, newbie author Elias Keane lures you in with perhaps the best covers ever in a series (same two men, same side of the cover. dressed slightly differently to reflect the theme of each plot.
In the case of this series, however, it's the characters (Julian on the left, Mason on the right) who carry us through surrounded by a dozen others who are central to their lives and the plots. Therefore I am simply posting this review in each of the first three books (he promises a fourth). If you get the first one he might send you a prequel of sorts about Mason--if so, read it first or after reading "Line of the Ball."
This series is about polo. If you don't know anything about it, you can learn by carefully reading it to understand not only the way it's played but the deeply social restrictions that exist in a sport almost always restricted to the wealthy, old money especially. This one takes place in Texas but could have been identical in all respects (except for the weather) on the East or West coasts. It features developing and established gay, lesbian and hetero couplings, somewhat restrained in the first book, much more developed and detailed in the second and exceptionally explosive in the third.
That's all I'm going to say. Except--get this series...you will shake your head at the incongruities and sometimes inconsistencies but you will never forget those two men on the covers or their fellow protagonists in a series which is simply unique and over the top.
July 27, 2026
Here for the Chukkas
I’ve just finished ‘Line of the Ball’, by author Elias Keane who I’ve not read before and just found his book by chance. I’ve got to read it again before I read the sequel, ‘Crossing the Line’ because I was so bedazzled by his style of writing, that I feel I may have missed some of the ‘clues’ that was going on right in front of my eyes.
The story is based in the very wealthy world of Rich Polo players, where mostly wealthy men chase a ball on horseback with a wooden mallet in their hand, used to hit a ball into goal. Like golf on horseback. This author uses a mallet in the same way, that strikes at the end of every sentence. The writing is so ‘no nonsense’ direct to the point, no wasted emotion, just jab, jab, jab. If I hadn’t already checked his ‘bio’ I’d still have guessed the author was male just from his word delivery.
The MC’s here are very rich boy Julian Rosemont, and Mason Caldwell, a Ranch hand, who takes on a job to try and save his ranch from foreclosure. There are conniving people pulling strings, very rich people with grudges, who don’t care who gets hurt in their quest for revenge.
There is so much going on in the stables and bunkhouses after the ‘chukkas’ on the field. A lot of steaminess in the stables and not just from the horses. The Twain definitely meets.
For once I don’t mind being dangled on the cliff edge waiting for what happens next, because I didn’t want a quick wrap up when there is so much more to discover about this Windward Dynasty Polo Playing world. I want to know what happens, with Will, Rhys, Bash who are side characters and team members (and steam creators). Does Mason and Gus get to save the Ranch? What happened with Evie and Cam? And Why?
The trope of the controlling, ruthless Patriarchal figure is not my favourite by any means and Whitfield Rosemont seems to be a classic of the type. I’m also curious about his wife who doesn’t appear and neither Julian or his sister Evie ever mention her. I’ve a sneaking suspicion about this which makes me more eager to get to ‘Crossing the Line’.
I’ve just finished ‘Line of the Ball’, by author Elias Keane who I’ve not read before and just found his book by chance. I’ve got to read it again before I read the sequel, ‘Crossing the Line’ because I was so bedazzled by his style of writing, that I feel I may have missed some of the ‘clues’ that was going on right in front of my eyes.
The story is based in the very wealthy world of Rich Polo players, where mostly wealthy men chase a ball on horseback with a wooden mallet in their hand, used to hit a ball into goal. Like golf on horseback. This author uses a mallet in the same way, that strikes at the end of every sentence. The writing is so ‘no nonsense’ direct to the point, no wasted emotion, just jab, jab, jab. If I hadn’t already checked his ‘bio’ I’d still have guessed the author was male just from his word delivery.
The MC’s here are very rich boy Julian Rosemont, and Mason Caldwell, a Ranch hand, who takes on a job to try and save his ranch from foreclosure. There are conniving people pulling strings, very rich people with grudges, who don’t care who gets hurt in their quest for revenge.
There is so much going on in the stables and bunkhouses after the ‘chukkas’ on the field. A lot of steaminess in the stables and not just from the horses. The Twain definitely meets.
For once I don’t mind being dangled on the cliff edge waiting for what happens next, because I didn’t want a quick wrap up when there is so much more to discover about this Windward Dynasty Polo Playing world. I want to know what happens, with Will, Rhys, Bash who are side characters and team members (and steam creators). Does Mason and Gus get to save the Ranch? What happened with Evie and Cam? And Why?
The trope of the controlling, ruthless Patriarchal figure is not my favourite by any means and Whitfield Rosemont seems to be a classic of the type. I’m also curious about his wife who doesn’t appear and neither Julian or his sister Evie ever mention her. I’ve a sneaking suspicion about this which makes me more eager to get to ‘Crossing the Line’.
August 31, 2026
4.5/5 Stars. Attraction Amidst Sabotage: Set in the competitive sports world of Polo (which I only know from movies and headlines) a rugged, handsome, down-on-his-luck cowboy is recruited to act as a 'ringer' to foil an hierarchical rich family-owned franchise, gay marlboro cowboy vs rich playboy polo player. What could go wrong? Twist to the plot is that both men, superlative athletes and horsemen, are attracted to each other, and act on it, after carefully circling each other and figuring their next moves, and then giving in. Both men are broken, both need the attention of the other, and neither have the tools required to cement a relationship. Set up as pawns in this 'corporate sabotage' story, our MCs must find their own strengths, their courage, to fight against their users, be honest with each other and with themselves. Not a conventional love story or 'happy ending', more a 'to be determined'. Well written, as always by this author, a bit steamy, this is a thoughtful story of character and morality.
July 12, 2026
An interesting fiction story between a talented but lewd Texan rancher—Mason Caldwell—and a “silver spoon-born” rival captain who has insecurities he is yet to overcome—Julian Rosemont. After being recruited into the Fairfax polo-playing team, Mason meets and befriends Julian in the lewdest of circumstances. Mason seems to be the best emotional support for Julian, but is their meet-up by chance, or is it planned by a third party? Readers will enjoy the themes of secrecy, sportsmanship, support, and the notable promiscuity, as they read to the last page. This book is recommended for adults who are interested in queer fiction.
July 14, 2026
I honestly picked this one up because of the novelty- a polo romance??? I'll try any sports romance that's well-written and the preview was promising, though, so why not? The rest of the book didn't hold up quite as well. I couldn't follow who several of the characters were, and there were random sexual encounters that didn't advance the plot. Chapters 29 and 30 seemed to be the same event, but alternate ways for it to have gone. It wasn't awful, I've read worse, but it was just... fine. I won't be reading further, but it would be more for someone who's into spice and not plot.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 14, 2026
Well, it seems there was a clearance sale at the simile factory. Every paragraph contains several plus some metaphors for good measure. Someone wrote a book and then put some sort of literary Instagram filter on it, which is fine for descriptions of nature but gets pretty rough during dialogue. There are also multiple instances where it feels like they wrote two different versions of the exact same scene, and then just included both of them one after the other. I don’t know if this is an AI issue or what but it is not fun to read.
July 14, 2026
My first ever read in this genre
In the past year, I have read several of Elias Keane's books as part of ARC teams for each book, and I did so because he was a new author to me. The protagonists in this book, Mason and Julian, had unexpected chemistry in their intimate encounters off the pitch where polo players and horses were viewed not only as pawns in the hands of well-heeled wealthy scions. The proliferation of intimate encounters in the first 10-15 chapters, while titillating to certain readers, may be seen as distracting to others. That said, the book was an easy, quick read that MM romance fans will enjoy.
In the past year, I have read several of Elias Keane's books as part of ARC teams for each book, and I did so because he was a new author to me. The protagonists in this book, Mason and Julian, had unexpected chemistry in their intimate encounters off the pitch where polo players and horses were viewed not only as pawns in the hands of well-heeled wealthy scions. The proliferation of intimate encounters in the first 10-15 chapters, while titillating to certain readers, may be seen as distracting to others. That said, the book was an easy, quick read that MM romance fans will enjoy.
August 22, 2026
Loved this book it has twist and turns in it from infiltrating to break a heart to a enemies to lovers.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 12, 2026
💯💯💯💯💯
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews